Erwin Rommel Wearing Stahlhelm

 

Generalmajor Erwin Rommel (Kommandeur 7. Panzer-Division) at the "Hoth Tag" event held in front of the Place des Quinconces, Bordeaux, France, 29 June 1940 (other versions mention 1 July 1940 as the date). To the right is his aide, Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Schraepler. On 24 June 1940, 7. Panzer-Division arrived in Bordeaux. Five days later, the division held a victory parade in the streets of the city in northern France under the direct leadership of the Divisionskommandeur Rommel. Until the spring of 1941, 7. Panzer-Division spent a period of rest and refitting at the "Camp de Sougè", located in Martignas-sur-Jalle. All of this information comes from a letter sent by Rommel to his beloved wife, Lucie, dated 6 January 1941. The position of his own division was as a reserve force of the Wehrmacht, prepared for Unternehmen Seelöwe (Operation Sea Lion, the planned German invasion of England). The invasion was later called off after the Luftwaffe was battered in the Battle of Britain. BTW, I believe this is the only picture showing Rommel wearing stahlhelm (steel helmet)!

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2012/03/album-foto-erwin-rommel-sebagai_10.html
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1970-076-43,_Paris,_Erwin_Rommel_bei_Siegesparade.jpg

Three Officers of IV. Fliegerkorps

The officers of IV. Fliegerkorps involved in a serious discussion. From left to right: General der Flieger Curt Pflugbeil (Kommandierender General IV. Fliegerkorps), Hauptmann Wilhelm Knapp (Stabsoffizier IV. Fliegerkorps), and Oberstleutnant i.G. Thorsten Christ (Chef des Generalstabes IV. Fliegerkorps). These three officers were all Ritterkreuzträger (Ritterkreuz medal recipient): Pflugbeil received it on October 5, 1941, Knapp on November 2, 1940, and Christ on October 2, 1942. This photo itself was taken in the summer of 1942 when IV. Fliegerkorps still operated in the southern region of the Eastern Front. At that time there were four Luftwaffe air wings under the command of the corps: Kampfgeschwader 27, Kampfgeschwader 4, Jagdgeschwader 77, and Lehrgeschwader 2.

Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2399385#p2399385

Rommel on an Inspection Trip to Atlantikwall

 

This photo is come from the private collection of Hauptmann Hellmuth Lang, Rommel's personal aide, and shows Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) sitting in a car on an inspection trip to the German stronghold Atlantikwall in the Western Front. The German Marshal wears a schirmmütze (visor hat) on his head and a ledermantel (leather coat) over the outer layers of his uniform. Around his neck hung the Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz medal, which was only given to the selected 27 people in the entire German Armed Forces. The cold air made him wear leather gloves, which he used to hold the interimstab (the marshal baton). This photo appears to be a Rommel's personal gift to his aide, which can be seen from the addition of his original signature. There is no information on when this photo was taken, but at least in the period between February to June 1944. The reason is that it was only during this period that Rommel wore a leather coat during his inspections, while in the previous two months - December 1943 and January 1944 - from his appointment as a Commander-in-Chief of Heersgruppe B, he preferred to wear the Generalmantel (general's coat).

Source :
https://historical.ha.com/itm/autographs/non-american/erwin-rommel-signed-photograph/a/6149-49182.s

Rommel Awarded the German Medal for His Italian Allies

On 9 February 1942, Generaloberst Erwin Rommel (left, Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee "Afrika") awarded the Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse to two of his allied Italian generals, Generale di Corpo d'Armata Gastone Gambara (center, Italian XIX Corps Commander) and Generale d'Armata Ettore Bastico (right, Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Army in North Africa). Latter, Bastico would also receive a higher-ranking German medal - Deutsches Kreuz in Gold - on 5 December 1942. Behind Rommel is stood Generale di Brigata Giorgio Calvi di Bergolo (Chief of Staff of the Italian liaison officer with Panzerarmee "Afrika"). Photo by Kriegsberichter Ernst Alexander Zwilling.

Source :
https://audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/1226/12b23fe47a8541af41ec3c8e9adc4e97/

Rommel and Hitler Welcomed by Volksdeutsche in Poland

 

Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) was warmly welcomed by the Volksdeutsche (Germans living abroad) upon arriving at Maslow airfield, Poland, 10 September 1939. Facing the camera in the middle is Generalmajor Erwin Rommel (Kommandeur Führer-Begleit-Bataillon) who was responsible for the security of the Führer during his visits to Poland (4-26 September 1939 and 5 October 1939). On 10 September 1939 Hitler visited Opole/Oppeln, Końskie and Kielce, while on 11 September he was in Tomaszów and Illnau.

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2012/03/album-foto-erwin-rommel-sebagai.html
https://audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/138/12b23fe47a8541af41ec3c8e9adc4e97/

Erwin Rommel, Adelbert Schulz, Karl Rothenburg, and Otto Heidkämper

 

Divisionskommandeur Rommel is having a casual discussion with his officers from the Panzer-Regiment 25 / 7.Panzer-Division near the banks of the river Seine (France), mid-June 1940. From left to right: Major Franz von Lindenau (Kommandeur I.Abteilung / Panzer -Regiment 25), Oberst Karl Rothenburg (Kommandeur Panzer-Regiment 25), Major Casimir Kentel (Kommandeur II.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 25), Hauptmann Adelbert Schulz (Chef 1.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 25), Generalmajor Erwin Rommel (Kommandeur 7. Panzer-Division), and Major iG Otto Heidkämper (Ia Erster Generalstabsoffizier 7. Panzer-Division). In the Battle of France, 7. Panzer-Division was equipped with outdated Czechoslovakian tanks (some of them are visible in the background). The division, resuming its advance on 5 June, drove for the River Seine to secure the bridges near Rouen. Advancing 100 kilometres (62 mi) in two days, the division reached Rouen to find the bridges destroyed. From here they moved north, blocking the westward route to Le Havre and the Operation Cycle evacuations and forcing over 10,000 men of the 51st (Highland) Division, French 9th Army Corps and other supporting troops to surrender at Saint-Valery-en-Caux on 12 June.

Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1972-045-08
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_Panzer_Division_(Wehrmacht)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1972-045-08,_Westfeldzug,_Rommel_bei_Besprechung_mit_Offizieren.jpg

Ritterkreuz Action of Johannes Lutz

Johannes "Hans" Lutz (11 March 1920 - 26 August 2005) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 9 December 1944 as Leutnant and Zugführer in Divisions-Begleit-Kompanie / 116. Panzerdivision "Windhund" / 7.Armee / Heeresgruppe B. The following text by Divisionskommandeur von Waldenburg describes the actions by which Lutz would receive the Ritterkreuz:

“On 6 November 1944 Leutnant Lutz received the order to participate in a large-scale counterattack, in which his role was to take his Zug and capture the village of Vossenack from the south. The neighbouring formations were to attack it from the north and east. Despite the heaviest defensive fire from all weapons, including direct fire by enemy tanks, Lutz and his men succeeded in taking their assigned portion of the village.

After breaking into the village he was able to grasp the overall situation: The attacks of the other German forces had bogged down in heavy defense fire, and only Lutz and his Zug had managed to get as far as the village. All connection to neighbouring units had been lost. The enemy tanks and APCs had bypassed him to the rear and were currently pushing in the direction of the Mestringer mill. Their obvious goal was to catch the Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung employed there in a flank attack and prevent the imminent encirclement of their American comrades at Kommerscheidt.

In light of this situation, Leutnant Lutz made the independent decision to thwart this enemy move to the best of his abilities. At the very least he would try to throw the enemy into confusion close a the frontline gap by drawing closer to the rest of his Kompanie. And so, without hesitating on account of the inferiority of his force against tanks and APCs, he attacked the much larger enemy group with his Zug. At the head of his men he personally destroyed 2 fully-manned American APCs and 1 armoured command vehicle in the first attack with Panzerfausts. As the AT weapons of his Zug were thereby expended, he and his Zug were attacked by enemy tanks while still being deployed on open ground. In order to save his men he gathered everyone together and charged the enemy tanks while firing with all their weapons, personally shooting off his machine-pistol and inspiring his men by his example. With a loud “Hurra” they approached the enemy tanks, who were intimidated by this fierce attack and forced to fall back.

Through this action Lutz succeeded in resupplying his men after rejoining the Kompanie and closing the existing frontline gap. His attack also managed to confuse the enemy as planned, and the Americans halted their attack on the Mestringer mill in order to reform in a secure area.

After this was completed 5 enemy tanks drove towards Lutz’s position, making a new attempt to break through to the mill. Immediately Leutnant Lutz hurried into action, procuring 2 Panzerfausts and some hand grenades, and worked his way to within a few metres of the tanks. With the 2 Panzerfausts he destroyed one enemy tank at very close range and set a second one on fire with hand grenades. At the same time the other enemy tanks were destroyed with Panzerfausts by an Oberfeldwebel from the left neighbouring formation. With this the attempted enemy armoured breakthrough to Mestringer mill was once again stopped in its tracks.

Leutnant Lutz (who was still suffering from the effects of an old wound) was once again wounded twice while leading a forcefully conducted attack on Würselen, however stayed with his men by his own wish. He is the model of an experienced and outstandingly brave frontline officer, who demands the utmost of himself. Through this superbly led operation he prevented a dangerous breakthrough by a much superior combat force against the Mestringer mill, while removing a great danger to the flank of the Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung. He thus made a major contribution to the later encirclement of strong enemy forces south of Mühle, near Kommerscheidt.

Following this action Leutnant Lutz was once again heavily wounded by a shell splinter on 8 November 1944.”


Source :
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Lutz,_Johann
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/36272/Lutz-Johannes.htm

Three German Generals in Ukraine 1941

From left to right: Generalleutnant Max Pfeffer (Kommandeur 297. Infanterie-Division), General der Infanterie Friedrich "Fritz" Koch (Kommandierender General XXXXIV. Armeekorps), and Generalmajor Siegmund Freiherr von Schleinitz (Kommandeur 9. Infanterie-Division). The picture was taken in June 1941 during Unternehmen Barbarossa (German invasion of Soviet Union). The location is in Krystynopol, Ukraine.

Source :
https://www.historiaregionu.org/1941-tomaszow-jarcz-krysty

Walter Bradel in Color

With a starting price of 8,500 euros, the photo album offered at the link below was compiled by a veteran of 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG 2) and according to the seller contains some 42 wartime colour images. The album is dedicated to the former Staffelkapitän of 9./ KG 2 and later Geschwaderkommodore Major Walter Bradel (1911-1943). Features bucolic scenes taken at Soesterberg (Holland) 1940, Villacoublay, and Paris (France 1941). A number of the photos feature Oberleutnant (later Hauptmann) Walter Bornschein (1914-1944) including the latter's Ritterkreuz award ceremony and celebrations, views of the Staffelhund "Strolch", the Bornschein crew shortly before a sortie and in-flight, various images of a captured Short Stirling (forced to make an emergency landing on 4 June 1943, repaired, made flight-worthy and repainted with KG 2 codes according to the album caption) The last images are perhaps the most interesting, depicting the up-turned Dornier 217 in which Walter Bradel  was killed. During the night of 4 May 1943 to 5 May Angriffsführer England ordered a consolidated attack on Norwich. Involved were 43 aircraft from KG 2 under the command of Bradel, who was airborne from Soesterberg. The attack force was augmented by aircraft from II./KG 40 and 36 Ju 88s of KG 6. Bradel's Do 217 K was attacked by a British nightfighter, and suffered engine damage. Pilot Leutnant Ernst Andres was eventually forced to attempt an emergency landing near Landsmeer, Amsterdam. The aircraft was 80% damaged and Bradel was killed when the aircraft over-turned. Album can be viewed in Dortmund before committing to buy according to the seller's blurb:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Farbfotos-Luftwaffe-hohe-Ordenstrager-9-KG-2-Flugzeug-Plane-Beuteflugzeug-Camo-/321246746758?pt=Militaria&hash=item4acbcc5886

Walter Bradel (left) and Walter Bornschein (right)

 

Walter Bradel

Source :
http://www.aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?s=100&q=baumbach,%20werner&qand=&exc1=&exc2=&search_type=&search_only=
http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2013/11/photo-album-9-kg-2-kommodore-walter.html

Bio of Hauptmann Ernst Andres (1921-1945)

Full name: Ernst Andres
Nickname: Unknown
Date of Birth: 19 September 1921 at Pfullingen, Baden-Württemberg (Germany)
Date of Death: 11 February 1945 at Oelde, Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany)
NSDAP Number: unknown
SS Number: unknown
Academic Title: unknown
Family Member: unknown
Physical Feature: unknown

Beförderungen (Promotion):
15.11.1939 Flieger
01.04.1940 Fahnenjunker
01.04.1940 Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter
01.06.1940 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier
01.09.1940 Fähnrich
01.02.1941 Oberfähnrich
00.07.1941 Leutnant
01.06.1943 Oberleutnant
00.00.1944 Hauptmann

Karriere (Career):
15.11.1939 entered the Luftwaffe and assigned to 2./Fl.Ausb.Rgt. 61
21.08.1940 transferred to FFS C 3
24.08.1940 transferred to FFS C 1
18.12.1940 transferred to BFS 1
18.01.1941 transferred to Grosse KFS 4
10.05.1941 transferred to IV./KG 2
00.07.1941 transferred to 5./KG 2
00.00.1943 transferred to Stab/KG 2
05.05.1943 badly WIA during a raid on Norwich, crash landed vic Landsmeer near Amsterdam. 26.07.1944 - 19.11.1944 Staffelkapitän 8./KG 2
00.09.1944 transferred to night fighters
30.12.1944 Staffelkapitän 5./NJG 4
11-12.02.1945 KIA in Ju 88 G-1 (3C+FN) shot down by a RAF Mosquito while he was taking off from Gütersloh, crashed at Landmeer, N of Amsterdam
 
Orden und Ehrenzeichen (Medals and Decorations):
00.00.19__ Flugzeugführerabzeichen
00.00.19__ Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.19__ Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.19__ Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz
01.07.1942 Flugzeugbeobachterabzeichen
00.00.194_ Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Gold
03.12.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
20.04.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant and Flugzeugführer in Stab / Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG 2). Awarded after flying about 120 sorties.

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• During the night of 4 May 1943 to 5 May Angriffsführer England ordered a consolidated attack on Norwich. Involved were 43 aircraft from Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG 2) under the command of KG 2's Geschwaderkommodore Walter Bradel, which took off from the airport of Soesterberg. The attack force was augmented by aircraft from II./Kampfgeschwader 40 and 36 Ju 88 from Kampfgeschwader 6. Bradel, who flying as an observer on a Do 217K piloted by Andres, was attacked by a British nightfighter, and suffered engine damage. Andres attempted an emergency landing near Landsmeer, Amsterdam. The aircraft was 80% damaged and Bradel and the aerial gunner Flieger Werner Becker were killed.
• Ernst Andres was killed on 11th February 1945 as Staffelkapitän 5. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 with the rank of Hauptmann.
• Credited with 130 bomber missions and 30 night fighter missions.

Source :
"Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries" by Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Andres
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwis38_c3Kn2AhU9_XMBHaUMDC0QFnoECAkQAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ritterkreuztraeger.info%2Frk%2Fa%2FA067Andres.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0e0CBOXy3Dz6Tq8RbQ_8rG
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/21540/Andres-Ernst.htm

Graf Strachwitz and Karl Lorenz from Grossdeutschland

 

Oberst der Reserve Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche (left, Kommandeur Panzer-Regiment "Grossdeutschland") standing in front of his Panzerbefehlswagen's "three-ruble note" with number 0. To the right of Strachwitz is Oberstleutnant Karl Lorenz (Kommandeur Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Grossdeutschland"). This picture was taken in the summer of 1943 in the Eastern Front, during Unternehmen Zitadelle (Battle of Kursk). At the beginning of 1943, Panzer-Abteilung "Grossdeutschland" was upgraded into a tank regiment. At first, the commander's tanks carried two-digit tactical numbers: "01", "02", "03". And already in the summer of the same year, their numbering changed and in the Battle of Kursk the "befehl" of the regimental headquarters carried the numbers: "0", "01", "02". The same numbering, it seems, remained until the end of the war. At least for the summer of 1944, two command Panthers of the regiment headquarters with the numbers "0" and "01" are known. The battalion headquarters apparently had "classic" numbers with Roman numerals I and II.

Source :
http://tigerscorner.ru/gallery/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89:2019-01-11-16-46-13&catid=34:2010-12-02-12-49-34&Itemid=53